RAID for Dell host ESXi 5.0

[JamesMcguinness]

We're getting ready to switch from Virtual Iron (killed by Oracle) to vmware. VI runs diskless so we have a pile of pulled RAID cards from our current hosts which are all PowerEdge 1950s. I have in front of me SAS 5/i, SAS 6/i, and PERC 5i cards. The SAS cards are basic RAID 0/1 cards w/ no batt or cache. The PERC 5 is a full on RAID card w/ batt and cache. Considering we have to re-buy the batteries we'd rather not have to use the PERC 5 cards.

I just want to know from the host point of view will I see performance issues using the SAS cards? Consider there will be no local storage (all iSCSI), so disk usage will be boot up, log collection, hypervisor use only.

Thanks in advance!

 

[cabraun]

I like to install vSphere these days on USB or SD card. Fast and easily portable in the event of hardware failure.

 

[biglebowski]

Firstly check that it is supported by vmware

http://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/search.php?action=base&deviceCategory=io

If you are using a SAN for your VMs cache settings are irrelevant so just choose a card that is supported and will do RAID 1.

Biglebowskis Razor - with all things being equal if you still can't find the answer have a shave and go down the pub.

 

[JamesMcguinness]

The cards I have are all supported, made sure of that a while ago. Guess I'll go with the SAS cards to simplify things.

I'd love to go USB with these, but every time I read a guide or talk of it I see "...but not in production". Dell said the ESXi embedded image they provide isn't supported on the PE1950 as well. I'm sure it works just fine however.